Extracurricular Activities
by Eevee Tofu
Summary: So PixieDust291 and I got together and were like, "Hey, we should RP." This is our beautiful lovechild. No, we really don't know the meaning of "restraint." Prepare to have your panties obliterated.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there guys! I've decided to post this RP I've had going on for a while with **PixieDust291**. She's on a bit of a hiatus at the moment, so this stuff's been just languishing in my inbox.

Anyway, this is (supposedly XD) going to be an eventual YugixYamixAtem, with some other pairings on the side. Namely, MalikxRyou. Also, one-sided KaibaxApplejack. YOU THINK I'M KIDDING

Anyway, Pixie's in charge of Yami, Atem, and Malik. I've got Yugi and Ryou. And we both kind of share the extra characters.

I've beta'd this and re-written a few sentences and stuff because I'm picky.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

It was a mild enough day; not too hot and not too cold. The air was warm with the fragrant scent of the sakura blossoms thick in the air. They were a constant reminder to the students that they only had one more term until summer. A light breeze caused many of the soft pink petals to swirl and dance as if to some unknown beat on the drafts. From the open window on the second story of the school Yami held out his hand, grasping one of the petals in his palm. They were so fragile, and yet so beautiful. He gazed out with mild amusement at the trees that lined the school. He wished the day would be over, so that he might return to his home - the only place where people would leave him in peace. Every day, it was a struggle. Men would either attack him or demand a duel of him, the king of games. And the women... they were the worst. They always wanted a piece of him. A kiss, a touch, anything to show off as some kind of symbol to their girlfriends... Mindless morons. The girls that offered themselves disgusted him the most. One in particular never seemed to take "no" for an answer... He sighed and stretched. At least his next class would be... enjoyable. Teachers' aid, for Mr. Pharaoh.

Yugi clutched his books to his chest and hurried to his next class, his head lowered just enough so that he could still see where he was going. He despised school and nearly everyone in it; the rest of the students had somehow decided he was the target of pretty much all negativity in the place, so he had to deal with dirty looks and rude remarks practically all day long. It had gotten more tolerable over the years, though. The school had become more diligent regarding violence, so at least he didn't get the shit kicked out of him every day anymore. It was mostly only verbal abuse he endured these days, but in some ways, that was even worse than the kicking and punching. Yugi tried to melt against the wall as he slithered through the crowds of students in the halls. If he could just get to his next class, things would get better... They always did in HIS presence. How could anyone be in a bad mood with such a gorgeous teacher in front of them?

Yami turned and began walking down the hall that would eventually lead him to ancient history. Mr. Pharaoh, the Ancient Egyptian history teacher, was possibly one of the best-liked teachers in the school. Perhaps it was his humorous attitude, his ease and carefreeness with his students, or just his practically idiot-proof assignments. But Yami knew better. A smirk played across his face. Oh, he _definitely_ knew better. Mr. Pharaoh was one of those men that women drooled over, and men were confused about their feeling toward him. Truly a perplexing man. But then, he was one to talk. Yami himself was one of the most popular kids in school, but he was basically a loner. He would say he was a wallflower, but that just seemed too girly. He turned the corner and nearly bumped into someone. Taking a step back and looking down, Yami blinked. He recognized the boy as Yugi Mouto. He was in Mr. Pharaoh's class. Yami had often seen him sulking or cowering in the farthest row in the class while he had been sitting at the desk grading papers. The boy was bright, but never seemed to show it. His test scores were fine, but his homework and projects seemed to never be done. As a result, his grade in the class was suffering.

"Yugi," Yami greeted kindly. "Off to class I presume? Please tell Pharaoh I'll be few moments late." He raised a brow when the boy in front of him stared up at him as if he were a fish gasping for water.

For a moment, Yugi wished the rest of the world would disappear. The next moment, he was wishing HE could just disappear. He always got flustered around the gorgeous teacher's assistant. He was too hot for his own good; he made Yugi's teenage hormones go absolutely nuts. He nodded quickly in response to Yami's statement, and rushed off (he hoped) before the other could notice the blush creeping its way onto his cheeks.

'Damn it,' he thought. 'He must think I'm a blundering idiot now...' He stepped into the classroom, and approached the instructor, Mr. Pharaoh. Again, Yugi's insides churned at the sight of the man. Why did there have to be so many drop-dead gorgeous teachers here?

"Uh, Mr. Pharaoh?" Yugi said meekly, shuffling his feet. "I, uh.. I saw Yami in the hallway, and he, he told me to tell you he was going to be a few minutes late, so, uh..." He trailed off awkwardly, scurrying towards the back of the classroom where he usually sat.

Atem, known as Mr. Pharaoh to his students, smiled and nodded at Yugi before he watched the boy practically bolt to his seat. It was another typical day. The students filed in with their usual sluggishness, and then proceeded to plop themselves in their desks and begin vegetating. Atem raised a mock brow. He focused his keen eyes on Yugi; the boy seemed to be trying to hide behind a book. Out of all his years of teaching, Yugi was by far the student that had Atem most seriously concerned. He knew from the other teachers that he was basically an outcast to his peers. His exceptional grades on tests, compared to his lack of outside assignments, left Atem to come to only one conclusion. Unfortunately the school board refused to take action unless Yugi spoke out about any abuse. Atem's gaze turned back to the whiteboard, and he inwardly gritted his teeth.

"Alright all of you, settle down." He wrote a sentence on the board before turning to the class. "Now I'm sure you all did the reading. So which one of you can tell me who Bast is?" His gaze wandered until it landed on a blond haired boy. "Joey?"

The blond teen cringed and then scratched his head. "Um… the goddess of… love?"

Atem chuckled "You mean Aphrodite?"

"Yeah!" Joey cheered.

"You are quite right Joey, Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love." Joey groaned. Atem then sighed and scanned the class "Don't make me assign a report people."

Yugi peeked over the top of his book at the professor. 'God, no, not an essay,' he groaned mentally, cringing a little. Not that he wasn't interested in ancient Egypt - on the contrary, it was a subject that rather fascinated him - it was just that his homework... Well, it had a habit of not exactly getting done. And the assignments he did manage to complete... They tended to go missing. Yugi figured he should start keeping a padlock on his bag...

Atem was about to reprimand his students when the door opened and Yami walked in. Naturally, his presence caused an uproar. Atem groaned; it was like this every day. The girls would scream, the boys would glare... high school was nothing but drama. He glanced over at Yami, knowing the senior felt the same way. Yami ignored all of them, sat down at the desk, and covered his ears. This was the signal for Atem to do whatever he had to. Atem took in a deep breath and then yelled, "Five thousand words on my desk by the end of the week on Bast! All of you will be expected to do footnotes and a bibliography."

As the class resounded in groans he glanced back at Yugi, seeing the teen cradling his head in his hands. "Yugi Mouto!" The boy's head shot up so fast Atem though the boy might get whiplash. "You seem to have trouble doing any work outside of class. So…" Atem smiled warmly. "I'm assigning you a tutor." He turned to Yami; the senior stopping in his momentary reading long enough to look up at Atem with a questioning look. "Yami. Please help Yugi with his paper."

"He can't!" Atem turned. One of the girls, Téa, was now standing. "Yugi has clean up duty after school every day."

Yugi silently slid down in his chair, wanting nothing more than for the floor to open up and swallow him. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room watching him, judging him, disliking him for whatever reasons they had... He kept glancing between the two men at the front of the room, as if pleading for either of them to save him. Somehow.

Yami raised a brow at his teacher. He knew that Mr. Pharaoh was worried about the boy, but still, to go to such extremes? Yami glanced sideways at Téa. He then retorted calmly, "Yugi, forget your classroom duties. Since I am to be your tutor, and I only have free time after school, we shall study then. I also have clean up duty in the gym, so you can help me with that as your classroom clean up duty." The boy's face grew paler with every word he said. He gave Mr. Pharaoh a mischievous smirk. "And my assistant duties?"

"Postponed for the time being until Yugi's grades come up." He smiled. "You're one of the top students in the school. Surely you can help him."

Yami nodded and went back to his papers.

"Alright... now that that is settled, who can tell me what we were learning about yesterday?" Atem readdressed the class.

Yugi wasn't sure whether he should be excited or terrified. Of course he'd always wanted an excuse to spend time with Yami - he was only THE most gorgeous boy in the entire high school - but he felt extremely embarrassed about this whole thing. Not to mention threatened. Yami's unofficial "fan club" would probably rip him apart, and he didn't fancy being scratched at with those intricately-painted acrylic nails that seemed to be so damn popular. He could still feel the class' eyes on him, as though they expected him to answer the teacher's question, but Yugi simply couldn't find his voice. He opened his mouth, but all that emerged was a pitiful, nearly-silent squeak.

Fortunately, he was saved by the only student who didn't seem to hold any malice toward him. "Mummification of sacred beings," Ryou offered up in his gentle voice, shifting the class' collective attention off Yugi for the moment. "Specifically, the differences in the sarcophagi of the Pharaohs."

Atem silently grinned and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Ryou, you never disappoint me."

The class meandered on for the next forty-five minutes until finally the bell rang. The minute the resounding shriek echoed through the halls. the student were up on their feet and crowding the door, ready to burst out of it like wild mustangs from a stable. Atem ran a hand through his hair and then turned to start clearing the whiteboard. Yami got up from the desk and shouldered his backpack.

"See you in the gym after school Yugi. Be sure to bring your books," Yami called out, not waiting for a response as he left.

Ryou, unlike all the other students, stayed behind as he waited for Yugi to realize that class was over. More often than not, this was their general routine. Ryou would wait for Yugi to finish and then he would walk him part way home.

"Yugi. Before you leave, I have something for you." Atem opened up a drawer and extracted a shiny golden box, which he brought over to Yugi's desk. "It's an ancient Egyptian puzzle." He indicated the foreign symbols etched along the sides. "These hieroglyphics say that whoever solves it will be granted one wish. But I'll do you one better. Solve it and I'll wipe away all your missing assignments." He winked at Yugi.

A powerful blush radiated across Yugi's face. "Th-thank you," he managed, before snatching the box and exiting the classroom as quickly as possible before the teacher had a chance to figure out what that wink had done to him. His insides squirmed pleasantly; how was it that everything Mr. Pharaoh did made him look so incredibly sexy?

"Yugi, are you in there?" Ryou asked, waving a hand in front of the teen's face. Yugi snapped back to reality, only to see a very smug smirk on his friend's face. He knew that Ryou could plainly see his attraction to both the teacher and his student aid, and that he found it extremely amusing.

"Oh, shut up," Yugi muttered, flustered, inspecting the golden box in his hands.

The white-haired teen giggled softly. "Have fun~" he teased, as they drew closer to the gymnasium doors.

Yugi gave him a light, playful punch in the arm. "I'll try," he said with a nervous grin. He took a breath to calm his nerves, and pushed the door open, stepping into the gym.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

And that's where I'm ending this one. Tune in next chapter for more shenanigans!


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter two. Sorry if these chapter lengths are kinda random; I try to just pick good intervals to cut them off at, as opposed to trying to make them all the same length.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

"I told you in that challenge letter that we were to duel right after school!" cried a loud booming voice as Yugi opened the door.

"And as I said not a moment ago, something more important came up." Yami replied in a rather cold monotone. "Besides, you challenge me every other day and the outcome is always the same. Why would this time be any different?" A man that was taller then Yami with brunet hair stalked up to him and grabbed him by his shirtsleeve.

"You know better then to patronize me, Yami," the brunette growled. "So, what is it that is _so_ much more important?"

"I don't really see how that's any of your business." Yami jerked out of the man's hold and turned back to the volleyballs he was currently putting away.

"Oh, I see. Mr. Pharaoh need more help grading papers?" The way the brunet said it was smug and full of implication.

Yami straightened and then fixed him with a dark gaze. "Be careful, Kaiba. You wouldn't want your little _secret_ to get out, would you?" The man called Kaiba looked as if he were about to murder someone. He turned on his heel and, with all the grace of a fox, walked to the door. He opened it, and just as he was leaving, spotted Yugi. He raised a questioning brow and then turned back to Yami.

"I had no idea you were a shota. Seems we both have-" he was cut off as he dodged a volleyball aimed at his head. He walked away laughing.

Yugi cowered under the taller boy's gaze and quickly slipped past him into the gym, feeling embarrassed and somehow threatened by those cold blue eyes. As Kaiba strode away with a condescending chuckle, Yugi turned to Yami, who was still glaring after him. The upperclassman's gaze shifted to Yugi, and for a moment the teen thought he saw his expression soften a little... But he had to have imagined it, right?

"S-sorry," he stammered, not really sure what he was apologizing for. 'Say something else, idiot!' his brain commanded, even though Yugi knew full well that he was horrible at talking to people. A million different phrases went through his head as candidates for conversation. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, all he could muster was a pitiful little squeak, much like the one he'd made in class earlier. However, inside the gym, the sound was amplified by echoing off the walls and floor, so there was no way it could go unnoticed this time. Yugi shuffled awkwardly, staring down at his feet, his face as red as a ripe tomato.

Yami suppressed a chuckle. "Are you seriously that scared of me?" he asked as he turned away to wheel the cart across the basketball court. "It's not like I'm going to rape you." He motioned with his head for Yugi to follow. They walked outside to the storage shed, which Yami unlocked and then pushed the cart inside before shutting it. "So, for starters. What is there about Egyptian history that you feel you need a re-cap on?"

Yugi had to bite his tongue at the strong urge to say it technically wouldn't be rape since he'd rather enjoy it. "Um... Nothing, really," he said, slightly less nervous. He felt somehow set at ease by the other's presence. "It's not that I don't understand the material, it's just... Me and homework don't really get along." He mumbled the last few words, feeling a little embarrassed, and reluctant to admit his predicament. He stole a glance at Yami while the other was looking elsewhere.

"A boy who gets along with tests, but not homework..." Yami brought his gaze back to Yugi and took a step forward, making the boy back up against the wall. "You going to be honest with me?" He took another step and placed both hands on either side of the boy's head. He had meant to just crowd the boy so he wouldn't run away; however, his actions had brought about an entirely different reaction. He heard the boy's soft intake of breath, and saw his furiously blushing cheeks. Yami's usual barriers of self protection cracked slightly. It was hard to explain, but he supposed the feeling running through him was... curiosity.

"Well?" Yami asked a bit impatiently as he waited for an answer.

The sudden action surprised Yugi, yes, but strangely, he didn't feel intimidated by the older boy's proximity... Actually, he felt rather safe. Protected, even. He looked up into Yami's wine-colored eyes, holding his gaze for a moment before looking away quickly and biting down on his lips. "I... I can't always get my assignments done because... other students bully me into doing theirs for them," he said softly. "A-and then when I do manage to do my own homework, it gets.. stolen..." He realized how stupid this probably sounded, but it was the honest truth. He closed his eyes and took in a breath, leaning back against the wall. He could smell a distinctive scent about the other; whether it was cologne, or simply a natural musk, he couldn't determine, but it relaxed him. He didn't feel the need to try and run away, like he usually did when he was cornered. He simply stood there, waiting for the other to do or say something.

Yami stared at him for a long moment before nodding his head. "I see. Then I'll make you a deal, Yugi." The older teen moved away with a small smile playing across his pink lips "You will not do assignments for anyone else, ever again. And in exchange, I'll keep up the pretense that I'm tutoring you; but what we're really doing is just hanging out."

"B-but what if they threaten me?" Yugi lunged forward, gazing up at him with pleading eyes. "I'm not strong enough to fight them off if they come after me, and even if I was, I don't want to get in trouble for fighting..." He realized how close he'd gotten to the older boy; blushing, he took a step back, his shyness taking over again as he found he couldn't hold Yami's gaze any longer.

Yami blinked "Little one, you have to stand up for yourself." Even though he said it, he knew Yugi was right. He sighed. "Hey, tell me where you live, what time you leave for school, and all your classes."

"I-I know I do," Yugi said sheepishly. "It's just... I guess I need to learn how." He let out an awkward chuckle, and fished in his bag for a pen and paper. "Here, I'll write down my schedule and stuff for you..." As he wrote, he was acutely aware of Yami watching him. For once, he didn't feel like he wanted to shrink away, out of sight. Yami's gaze didn't feel malicious; it didn't make him uncomfortable knowing the other's eyes were on him.

As the boy wrote, Yami took in the slimness of his body, right down to his cute butt. He vaguely reminded Yami of a cute little bunny rabbit. "From now on I'll walk you to and from school, and meet you outside all your classrooms. No one will dare touch you when I'm around." _Except maybe me_, Yami purred in his mind. "Do you have any girlfriend I should worry about getting jealous?"

Yugi couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at the word 'girlfriend.' "Hah, no, you don't have to worry about any jealous girls," he said, purposefully wording it very carefully. He figured that if Yami could pick up on what his statement REALLY meant, then he was probably cool with it.

"Good. It's already going to be bad enough that my fanclub will be divided because of this." At Yugi's questioning look, he explained. "Half of them will want to turn you into a human rug, and the other half will begin writing raunchy stories about us having sex on every surface of the school. Don't laugh, it's true."

Laughing was the last thing on Yugi's mind at that moment. He inhaled the softest of gasps at the sudden mental image of Yami taking him on top of one of the chem lab's tables... Part of him really wanted the older boy to know of his immense attraction toward him, but the voice of reason spoke up inside his head: 'He probably gets this all the time, I bet he's sick of it. Just don't say anything. It's better if you stay quiet.'

Yami sighed. "Since you don't need my help, why don't we just call it a day. Come on, I'll walk you home."

That night, Yugi actually managed to complete all the homework he'd been assigned. Afterwards, he sat at his desk, staring curiously at the golden box Mr. Pharaoh had given him. Finally, he mustered up the courage and energy to open it, spilling its contents onto his desk. Many small, irregularly-shaped pieces lay before him.

"A wish, huh?" he mused, his fingers idly fiddling with the pieces, managing to find two that fit together. As he worked, he began to think. What would he wish for? What did he want the most? He pondered, not really paying attention as his hands worked. Suddenly, he found himself jolting awake, having nodded off in his chair. He yawned and shuffled off to bed, leaving the almost-half-finished puzzle on the desk.

"So this kid looks just like you, you say?" Malik asked as he came out of the kitchen and set a steaming cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of Yami. "Kaiba texted me and said you were sweet on some boy." Malik smirked as he sat down. "That's known as narcissism."

Yami rolled his eyes as he grasped the cup, blowing on his contents. "The boy is adorable, I'll give him that." He took a sip and groaned appreciably. "You always make the best hot chocolate." He smirked. "Besides, I think he's suffering from more problems then just bullies."

"Really? Like what?"

"I think he's gay. Whether the whole school knows it or not, I'm not sure."

"And you know this how?"

"I have gaydar."

"Really? If it's on you it must be going off 24/7."

"Yeah, in fact it's going off right now." Yami chuckled. Malik had been a very close friend of his from childhood, and it seemed to be hobby of theirs as to who could make the best cut down. It was always in good fun, and only a few times had true hurt ever come from anything they said.

Malik chuckled "I see you like him." Yami raised a questioning brow. "I can see it in your eyes. He must be cute."

"He's also underage."

"No one is going to care as long as he doesn't. Just keep it secret."

"I don't think the boy has any friends, Malik. A lover is not what he needs."

"If he's being bullied, then someone to trust and confide in is exactly what he needs." Yami sighed at Maliks words "So," the other continued, "how cute _is_ he?"

"Like 'an adorable white bunny rabbit wrapped up in a pink fuzzy blanket' cute."

Malik cracked up laughing. "A bunny version of you. This I got to see!"

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

Let me just mention right now that Pixie's Kaiba is a sexy bitch


	3. Chapter 3

God damn my throat hurts.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

That next morning Yami was checking the messages on his cell phone waiting for Yugi outside his apartment building. Malik was at his side, grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't scare the kid, ok?" Yami whispered.

"I'm not going to scare him, just see if he's interested in you."

"I'm not looking for a relationship."

"That's BS and you know it. Besides, this is the only person, besides me, I've ever seen you show any affection toward." Malik winked. Yami rolled his eyes.

Yugi had almost forgotten about Yami walking him to school (in his defense, he WAS still half-asleep), until he saw the older boy waiting for him outside. His heart leapt, and then immediately sank like a stone when he realized there was someone else with him. Yugi couldn't immediately determine whether the other was male or female, but they seemed very close to Yami in a rather physical way - leaning on him, poking him, and just generally standing closer than any normal friend would.

He let out a small sigh as he approached the two. He shouldn't have been surprised, really. There was no way a cool guy like Yami would be single. Of course not. Why had he even gotten his hopes up?

"Morning," he said in greeting, hoping his disappointment wouldn't show in his voice.

"Hey, little one," Yami greeted with a soft smile.

"Little one?" Malik grinned and laughed. He turned to Yugi. "Hello. It's nice to finally meet the boy Yami was telling me about all last night. I'm Malik." Malik extended a hand in greeting. His other hand moved to toss his long sandy blonde hair over his shoulder.

At Malik's words, Yugi inadvertently glanced over at Yami. _Talking about me all night?_ he thought, not really able to comprehend that notion. "Hahah.. He didn't say anything bad, did he?" he laughed nervously, shaking the hand offered to him. He didn't feel as threatened by Malik, for some reason, now that they'd interacted. "You don't go to our school, do you? I don't think I've ever seen you before," he said, trying to make small talk (which he was horrible at).

Mailk shook his head "Nope, all good."

"Can we talk while we walk?" Yami asked rhetorically as he pushed away from the wall and started walking down the street.

Malik, in his usual fashion, turned and began walking backward so he could still face Yugi. "Nope. I go to Checkers High." Checkers was Domino's arch rival. "I'm in my senior year, like Yami. The only difference is that even though Yami and I have all the credits we need to graduate, Yami decided to still take classes and I decided to only take the one class I need. So I only have to go to school for just an hour or two in the afternoon."

"And you spend all your free time bitching at me to clean up everything."

"Well, I didn't notice how dirty our apartment was until I started being there longer."

Yugi liked how the two interacted. They seemed comfortable around each other. It reminded him of himself and Ryou just enough that he began to doubt whether they were anything more than just good friends. "So, are you guys roommates, or...?" He felt really awkward as soon as he'd said it. He stared at a passing leaf, trying not to look like a complete social derp.

Malik, at this unfinished question, began cheering and giving Yami an I-told-you-so grin. He stopped walking so Yugi was forced to stop right in front of him. He leaned down and whispered in Yugi's ear, "He's all yours." He quickly leaned back up and heaved a dramatic sigh. "Sadly, we are only roommates, despite Yami's contestant desperation to have me for his very own. Look at him!" Malik pointed dramatically. "He's practically going through withdrawals!"

Yami stared at him with a blank expression before turning to Yugi. "Oh yes, I'm _so_ starved," he drawled.

Malik laughed then gasped, as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh! Yugi, do you like coffee? Or maybe you prefer Bubble Tea?"

A fierce blush stretched all the way to Yugi's ears at Malik's whispered statement. He shot a glance at Yami, wondering if it would ever work - if 'they' would ever work. Yami was way out of his league; was it possible he could be interested? Yami's expression made him giggle softly.

He blinked a little at Malik's question. "Oh... Bubble tea!" He seemed to perk up at this. "I don't really like coffee, it tastes funny to me..."

Yami completely blushed and turned to look toward the school as they approached.

Malik quickly jumped to Yugi's side and whispered, "Keep acting moe and you'll have him in the palm of your hand." He then straightened up. "Well, that settles it. I'll meet you two out here after school and we'll go get some drinks. See you later!" he waved as they passed the gate.

When they were far enough away, Yami sighed. "Sorry about that. I swear he's harmless, and a really good guy once you get past his sarcasm. If you don't want me to have him around you I can try to-" he was cut off as Yugi frantically shook his head.

"No, it's fine," Yugi said quickly, going a little red. "He's cool. He seems fun to hang out with." He paused. "I mean, unless you WANTED to just hang out with me," he added, trying to sound casual about it, though the pink flush across his cheeks gave him away.

Ryou, meanwhile, not far away, had crossed paths with Malik. For a brief moment, their eyes met, before they continued on in opposite directions. The white-haired teen joined the other two, his eyes holding just the hint of a faraway expression. "Morning," he greeted, his smile as innocent as ever. "How goes the studying?" he asked, his grin turning slightly mischievous as he turned to Yugi.

"Shut up," Yugi muttered, jabbing his friend in the arm with his elbow. "Like you weren't totally checking out Malik just now..."

"Oh, is that what his name is?" Ryou glanced back over his shoulder at Malik's now very tiny form. "I've never seen him before..."

"Yeah, he doesn't go here. He's Yami's roommate." Yugi's blush deepened slightly when the older boy's name left his lips. He wasn't used to saying it so casually.

Yami tried to ignore the slight elated feeling he had at hearing Yugi say his name. He smirked. Perhaps if he could get Malik a boyfriend, the man would get out of the house and stop acting like a pestering wife to him. Besides, the Leaning Tower of Pizza Boxes had begun to look more and more precarious by the day.

"So long you two. I have to get to class!" Yami waved as he began to walk off. "I'll see you outside your classroom Yugi!"

"Y-yeah!" Yugi grinned like an idiot and waved after Yami.

Ryou nudged him in the shoulder, smirking. "You two are cute."

"Hey!" The blush on Yugi's face was really getting quite the workout this morning. "We're not even together or anything, sheesh!"

"Oh, you _will_ be." Ryou ruffled his hair affectionately. "See you in Trig," he said, turning a corner out of sight.

Yugi's heart fluttered. He was still rather high on the feelings Yami had sent surging through him - so much so that he almost didn't notice someone was talking to him.

"Hey," a boy with long, silky black hair and bright green eyes said, glaring down at the unfortunately small teen. "You got it, or what?"

Yugi stared up at Duke and paled. He'd completely forgotten the other had insisted Yugi do his homework assignment. "Well, um, you see, I..." His eyes darted about as he tried to think of an escape route.

Yugi was quickly silenced by a strong hand wrapped around his throat. Duke leaned in with a nasty sneer and hissed dangerously, "What? You WANT me to hurt you?"

"I.. No..!"

"Good." The taller boy shoved him back against the wall and released his neck. "Have it done by third period, or I'll cut off your dick and shove it down your throat." He gave one final glare and stalked off.

Yugi stood there in shock, trying to catch his breath. Pretty much the whole school knew that Duke swung both ways, but he was a menace to anyone who gave him a hard time about it. The previous year, one boy had been sent to the hospital because he'd taken a boot to the crotch. Needless to say, Yugi was terrified. He rubbed nervously at his neck and tried to make himself invisible as he slinked through the hallways to his first class.

Kaiba watched the scene play out from one of the second-story windows. He heard some of the boys around him snicker. He didn't care. It really had nothing to do with him. He turned and began walking down the hall. It wasn't that he wanted to help Yugi, it was just that it allowed him to rub something in Yami's face. He entered the Government classroom just as the bell rang, and sat down in the seat next to Yami. The seat was designated as his, so no one ever messed with it... Unless they wanted to lose an arm.

"Your little pet is being harassed."

Yami paused in the middle of turning a page. His body went stiff, and then relaxed. An icy tone came into his voice. "Who?"

"Dice boy. Keep your pet on a short leash, otherwise he's going to die."

"He's not my pet."

Kaiba chuckled. "Then maybe that's why he's still getting picked on."

Yami paid no attention to the teacher as he reviewed the last several chapters. He was far too busy thinking. After a while, there seemed to be only one clear conclusion in his mind.

Yugi was still trembling throughout his first class. As he tried to focus on the lesson and take notes, he was also struggling to complete the Chemistry assignment Duke had threatened him over. He'd managed to get part of it done by the end of class. He figured he'd be able to finish it during Trig, if he was lucky... As he packed his books into his bag and headed for his next class, he noticed that more girls than usual were glaring at him. Word must have gotten out about Yami tutoring him.

"Hey, little one." Yami greeted as Yugi walked out. He grabbed the teen by the upper arm and brought him into a tight hug.

The entire world seemed to fade away as Yugi was pulled into the other's embrace. He let out a soft sigh, the tension and anxiety draining from him as those strong, gentle arms wrapped around him. He felt as though he fit there perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle that had been separated for a long time, and finally reunited. He relaxed completely, melting against Yami, his heart content.

But then he remembered where he was, and quickly pushed himself out of the other's embrace. "People are gonna start hating you if they see you with me," he muttered, blushing fiercely.

Yami inwardly groaned when he allowed Yugi to move away. _Dear god, Malik was right_, he realized as he looked down at Yugi, and those big, violet, worry-filled eyes. Oh boy, he was in serious danger. And the scary thing was, he wanted to jump in head-first.

"Then they'll hate me." He tousled Yugi's hair. "You think they're more important then you?"

Tears threatened to form in Yugi's eyes at the sheer happiness building up inside him. He hadn't even finished that ancient puzzle yet, and it already seemed like his wish was coming true... He gazed up into Yami's deep crimson eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to press into him again, and feel the security of his embrace.

"I should... get to my class," he said breathlessly, wondering why the entire school wasn't quaking with the pounding of his heart.

"Alright." Yami nodded, then in front of everyone leaned down and kissed Yugi on the forhead. "Stay safe." He took Yugi by the shoulder and walked him to his next class. Once he saw that he was safely seated, he then turned and headed toward the computer science hall. Dice boy was about to get a little reminder of who exactly was the top dog of this school.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

Leedle leedle leedle leee


	4. Chapter 4

NAN KOOMEEYO KOOMEEYO NAN KOOMEEYO. I FELL ASLEEP FELL ASLEEP I FELL ASLEEEEP.  
>... don't ask. it's late and i'm hyper.<p>

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

"Whoa. What happened to YOU?" Ryou grinned as Yugi sat down in the desk beside him.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yugi asked, blinking dazedly.

"You practically floated in here, looking like you're high on something."

"Oh... Yeah." Yugi smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, it's 'something,' alright..." He stopped as Téa, one of the more prominent members of Yami's 'fan club,' stalked into the classroom. If looks could kill, Yugi's insides would have been splattered all over the wall from just one glance from her.

"Oh goodness. What happened?" Ryou asked him quietly.

"He..." Yugi leaned in to mutter in his ear, not really wanting anyone else in the room to hear. "He... hugged me. A-and then he kissed me. On the forehead," he clarified, as Ryou's brown eyes widened.

"See? What did I tell you." The white-haired teen grinned smugly. "Go get him, tiger."

"Hush." Yugi stuck out his tongue, and busied himself with finishing Duke's homework.

Yami knocked on the door before entering the practically silent computer room. The students looked up as he walked in. The teacher in charge of all computer classes was pretty much lazy. At the beginning of every term, he would give the students a list of tasks, and once they had finished those tasks he didn't care what they did.

"Mind if we step outside, Duke?"

Duke's eyes met Yami's with barely-contained annoyance. "Why? There is nothing you can't say to me in front of my friends." He gestured to the about five other students in the class.

Yami smiled, but the gesture was far from warm and welcoming. If anything, he was baring his teeth in a snarl. His crimson gaze bore down on Duke, and shot through him like fire. "A little bird told me you've been messing with my little one." Yami inwardly chuckled at the term. He didn't want to call Yugi his pet, but Yugi wasn't exactly his lover... yet.

"Your little one?" Duke looked confused. "You don't have relationships, Yami."

"Well, I finally found someone who interests me. And I don't generally like people touching what is mine."

Duke's gaze hardened. "What's the point you came here to make?"

"Stay the fuck away from Yugi, and leave him the fuck alone," Yami hissed, leaning in close. "If I even see one scratch on him, I will show you the meaning of pain." He smirked sadistically. "Maybe I'll sic my fangirls on you. They do _so_ love to be drenched in the blood of my enemies... They think it makes them more appealing to me," he muttered, more as an off-handed comment.

Duke balked. "Yugi Mouto! That little-!" he was silenced as a pen was then pressed to his throat. It was not necessarily life-threatening, but it was a warning.

"I mean it dice boy. Leave the kid alone." Yami retracted the pen as he turned to walk away.

"What are your fangirls going to say when they find out you're gay?" Duke called out. "You do remember I'm head of the school paper. _And_ announcements."

Yami turned back around, his cool demeanor never faltering. "How would the whole school like to know that I beat you at a game of your own creation?"

Duke practically bristled. "You wouldn't dare. We had a deal you would keep that-"

"Did we? Must have slipped my mind," Yami said, idly inspecting the pen he'd just held to Duke's throat. "Oh, and I wouldn't print anything about me being gay. I _have_ dated and been with women." He quirked an eyebrow. "How do you think I found out I prefer men?" It wasn't the whole story, but Duke really didn't deserve the rest. Yami left the room and shut the door behind him with a soft click.

He wondered if he was getting himself in over his head, and all over some kid he barely knew. It seemed so unlike him... But then, how could he not? One look from those big amethyst eyes and Yami just became a puddle. It was pathetic, and wonderful. His very skin crawled with the need to have the younger man pressed against him again. God, if this was the way it was _with_ clothes, what would it be _without_... Yami quickly bit the inside of his cheek to stave off his raising emotions. Should he even be thinking that so early in their relationship? He glanced anxiously at the clock. Suddenly, he couldn't wait for school to be over so he could accompany Yugi to the café. A thought occurred to him as he quickly headed off to Mr. Pharaoh's room... Perhaps Ryou would like to come along. He could introduce Yugi's friend to Malik and his sexy midriff.

Yugi scanned over the assignment he'd completed for Duke. He'd purposefully missed a few questions - he always did the work to match the students, so no one would find out. He'd even become a master at copying handwriting. It was shameful, yes, but he still felt a tiny amount of pride that he could at least do SOMETHING right.

"Haven't you told anyone about this?" Ryou muttered to him, referring to the constant bullying.

"Yeah, but they never really do anything about it," Yugi lamented. "They just wag their fingers and say 'be nice!' but of course nobody listens... So I'm stuck."

Ryou sighed, disheartened. "What if you tell Yami? He might be able to do something; I mean, he IS one of the most popular guys in the school. People might actually listen to him."

Yugi grimaced. "I don't wanna put my problems on his shoulders," he said. "I barely know the guy... He doesn't need to get caught up in all of my crap."

"Maybe he _wants_ to," the other teen said softly.

"Why would he?"

"Because you're worth it." Ryou patted him gently on the shoulder. "I think he can see that, and he probably wants to help you out."

Yugi smiled a little. He thought back to when Ryou had first moved there from England in their freshman year - girls had practically swarmed him, swooning over his accent and all-around newness; and guys had tried to befriend him, no doubt because of his intelligence. And despite all of that, Ryou had chosen _him_, the lonely outcast, and managed to convince other students not to push him around so much. They'd even dated in their sophomore year, but they'd both realized that just didn't feel right, and the relationship lasted less than a week. They were more than just good friends, but there was no romantic aspect to it.

"You really think so?" Yugi said, his expression becoming puppylike as he gazed into his friend's deep brown eyes.

"I'm very sure of it." Ryou smiled gently. "If you could see things from my perspective, you'd know."

Yugi couldn't help but smile back as the bell rang. "If you say so." He gathered his things and packed them into his bag, and they exited the classroom together.

Yami stood just outside the door of frantically escaping teenagers, and when he saw Yugi, he brought the boy into another hug. He didn't care what other people thought, he just wanted some relief. He hadn't realized until Yugi entered his little world how incredibly boring everything had been.

Yugi couldn't help but smile as he was pulled into Yami's arms. That distinctive scent surrounded him, calming him and making him snuggle into the embrace a little. Ryou stood there with a look of utmost adoration on his face at the sight of his best friend so happy.

"Oh, uh..." Yugi moved away suddenly, digging around in his bag. "I have to, uh... give something to someone," he muttered in embarrassment, pulling out the chem homework he'd done for Duke.

"Alright then. I'll go with you," Yami answered. "By the way... Ryou was it? Would you like to accompany me and Yugi after school to a quaint little café just down the road?"

Ryou smiled sheepishly. "Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt your little date," he said, his eyes twinkling with laughter as Yugi shot him a half-hearted glare.

The shorter teen clutched the chem assignment nervously, watching the hall for any sign of Duke.

"If you're looking for Duke, he won't be coming," Yami whispered as he walked. He looked over his shoulder at Ryou. "And don't be silly, Ryou. Any friend of Yugi's is a friend of mine."

Yugi looked up with fear in his violet eyes. "Wh-? What happened?" he asked, imagining the worst scenarios possible.

Meanwhile, Ryou smiled and shrugged one shoulder. "Alright, I'll join you. But if you make me play the part of 'third wheel,' I might have to do it quite dramatically," he joked. Ryou was well-known for his active role in the drama club and school theatrical productions; he was able to morph himself into practically any character with just the slightest effort. "Be careful, I can ad-lib a rather angsty 'unrequited love' monologue."

"Ah, to play the fool or to per chance be the fool. Aye, there is the rub." Yami quoted. He quickly whispered back to Yugi, "I just reminded him who was on top, is all. No blood was spilled... this round," he added in an ominous mutter. They rounded the corner and came face to face with Kaiba.

"Oh god, it's the nerd patrol," the brunet scoffed.

At the sight of the rather intimidating Kaiba, Yugi (without really realizing it) shifted closer to Yami, instinctively seeking shelter from those cold blue eyes. He wasn't sure why the tall brunet seemed so frightening... he just didn't feel safe around him, for whatever reason.

"I can see you're still constipated, Kaiba," Yami smirked.

Kaiba grabbed the sleeve of his school uniform. "Watch it," he warned.

Yugi suddenly had the strange urge to bite Kaiba's hand. He stared at it, mild anger swimming in his eyes.

Yami noticed Yugi's response and chuckled. "Calm down little one. He's my cousin."

Yugi blushed a little. He was really growing to like the way Yami called him "little one." He looked up at the other's face, and noticed a bit of resemblance between the two - they both had long, angular faces and strong shoulders. But Yami was obviously far more attractive.

"I thought we agreed to keep that under wraps." Kaiba glowered.

"Yugi is with me now and I don't want him thinking weird things just because we see a lot of each other. It's bad enough people think Malik and I are together."

"You're still roommates with that nut?"

"That 'nut' pays half the rent so, yeah." Yami brushed off Kaiba's grip.

"Are you two really related? You just look so... different," Ryou added in.

"Well, when it comes to brain and looks, we both got our fair share. But when it comes to personality, I'm afraid Kaiba's at the shallow end of the gene pool. Now if you'll excuse me, Kaiba, I have assistant duties." Yami grabbed Yugi's hand as they moved to go around the tall man.

Yugi had pretty much been sucker-punched twice in the span of a minute. Not only had Yami spoken the words "Yugi's with me," he'd also taken him by the hand. Unicorns and rainbows and butterflies and kittens. Yugi's world was just a mass of joy. He swore he couldn't even feel his feet touching the floor as he made his way to his next class, clutching Yami's hand gleefully.

They entered Mr. Pharaoh's class just as the bell rang.

Atem turned and his eyes quickly flicked up and down Yami's body before his crimson gaze landed on Yugi's dazed expression. The boy nearly crashed into a desk, but at the last moment Yami pulled him to the side. "Yami. Would you be willing to explain part of the lecture material today?"

"Oh course Mr. Pharaoh."

"Excellent." He turned. "Now today we will be talking about Egypt's reverence of cats."

Yugi sat in his usual seat next to Ryou, who seemed extremely amused by something. He figured it was his overall inability to function due to the fact that his mind had taken a brief vacation. Yugi found that he really didn't care, though. All he really cared about at that moment was that apparently Yami was going to help with the lecture, and that meant Yugi would get to hear more of his soothing baritone voice. He tingled just thinking about it...

"To begin," Atem annouced, "Egypt was not always unified; initially, it was a land with many regional tribes. Many tribes had a totemistic system of religion, centering the worship of an animal as a spiritual symbol. Some peoples would choose a totem animal because of the services it provided, some for admirable qualities, some out of fear. Regardless, when war broke out between peoples, the tribe that won was able to demand more respect for their totem, and mandated its worship. Eventually an empire was formed under Menes circa 3100 BC, and a more pluralistic form of totemism was established. Ibises, eagles, and beetles were among the totems worshiped alongside cats.

"The Egyptians viewed their gods not as spirits but as intelligences that could be personified in a body. The earliest evidence of cats as deities comes from a 3100 BC crystal cup decorated with an image of the lion-headed goddess Mafdet. The goddess Bast was originally depicted as a fiercely protective and warlike lion, like Sekhmet, but as Bast's image 'softened' over time, she became more strongly associated with domestic cats.

"As cats were sacred to Bast, the practice of mummification was extended to them, and the respect that cats received after death mirrored the respect they were treated with in everyday life. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that in the event of a fire, men would guard the fire to make certain that no cats ran into the flame. Herodotus also wrote that when a cat died, the household would go into mourning as if for a human relative, and would often shave their eyebrows to signify their loss.

"Such was the strength of feeling towards cats that killing one, even accidentally, incurred the death penalty."

He sighed as he saw that half the class was asleep. "Yami. Would you please put these on." Atem handed Yami a headband with cat ears on the top. Yami was torn between bursting into laughter and glaring at his teacher, but managed to keep his cool as he put on the ears.

Yugi couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He covered his face in embarrassment for the other boy, finding the situation hilarious nonetheless. He cringed, however, when the girls in the class started squealing over him. Yugi frowned at them (they all tended to sit in a group at the front corner of the classroom), imagining their heads spontaneously exploding.

"Yami, would you finish the rest?"

The senior sighed before he began reading and then summarizing Mr. Pharaoh's notes. "Cats were considered guardians of the underworld. If one wished to enter the afterlife, then they must first make an offering to the cat..."

After three minutes of talking, Yami snapped the book shut and then gave the class one of his sickly sweet smiles. "Now. Let's see which of you were listening. What breed of cat did it say in the text was the most revered?"

Yugi knew the answer to this, but that smile Yami gave distracted him and made his mind go completely blank. Ryou saved him again (he seemed to do that a lot), providing an answer while kicking at Yugi's foot. "Wasn't it the Abyssinian?"

"Wonderful." Yami scanned down the page. "I believe we have picture of mummified cats in storage." He looked to Atem, who nodded. Yami placed the book on the chair and then motioned for Yugi to come with him. "I'll need a helper. Yugi, you'll do."

"Eh?" Yugi made a (rather cute) expression of slight confusion. "Um, okay..." He stood and made his way up to the front of the classroom. It might have just been paranoia, but he swore he could hear other students whispering behind his back. He tried to ignore it as he felt those warm ruby eyes fixed on him.

They left the classroom with Yugi trailing behind him. When they got to the storage room, Yami unlocked and opened the door, glancing over his shoulder at Yugi. It was just about time to see if perhaps Malik's initial teasing did have some merit.

At first he just casually removed his jacket, tossing it over one of the chairs off to the corner, so that he only wore the tight fitting short sleeved black t-shirt underneath. "Look for something that says Egyptian Museum." He bent over to examine some of the boxes on the lower shelf, keeping Yugi in his peripheral vision.

Yugi couldn't help but stare for a moment at the other. The snug shirt revealed a toned chest - not ridiculously muscular, but definitely strong. He could just vaguely discern pert nipples behind the fabric - Okay, time to look for that box. He turned away quickly, trying to dispel the fierce blush on his cheeks as he searched the higher shelves.

Yami straightened. First experiment was a success. "Oh, I think that may be it." Yami laughed as he came up behind Yugi and crowded him just slightly so that the boy's rump had the barest brush with his groin, and that his back slid against Yami's chest.

Yugi inhaled a nearly-silent shuddering gasp, tingles wracking his spine at the closeness of the other's body. His eyelids fell half-closed and before he even knew what his body was doing, he'd leaned back against Yami's chest, relaxing against his warmth. He wasn't sure why he felt so comfortable around the older boy, but he did. Yami seemed to exude an aura of security and gentleness, and that made Yugi trust him, even though he'd only known him for fewer days than he had fingers on one hand.

_Oh, dear god..._ Yami's plan was backfiring, but in the best way possible. When the boy pressed back against him Yami thought he might just lose his mind. His hand, which had been reaching for the box, stopped short to grab into the shelf for stability. Before Yami could stop himself his hips were pushing forward, leaving not a sliver of room between them. He had only intended to see if the boy was attracted to him, not to forcibly dry hump him at school. Besides, it was painfully obvious the boy was innocent, and that required a gradual... wooing, for lack of a better term, and not just a quick fuck in the back room of the school. Yet still, he could give Yugi a small taste of what it would be like later. Yami's other hand gripped the boy's hip as he made a teasingly hard thrust forward.

"Hey now," Yugi chastised softly, placing his hand over Yami's on his hip. He turned his head to look back over his shoulder at the other boy, his violet eyes sparkling with mischief. "Save that for later, eh, Casanova?" He smirked as he turned around to face the slightly-taller Yami, and patted his cheek.

Yami's face went from its previous mischievous expression, to shock, then then to a full blown Christmas-red blush that dominated his entire face. Never had someone actually called him out on his actions like Yugi had just done. Usually they just writhed beneath him, panting. He coughed, moved away from Yugi and blinked several times down at the boy. "Sorry," he said rather softly. The boy was an absolute enigma. And for some twisted reason, that made Yami even more determined to have him. He smiled. Well, he might as well try to conserve some of his dignity... "I didn't mean to practically hump you. I apologize. It won't happen again." _Unless you want it,_ he added mentally as he moved back to trying to grab the box. He needed to busy himself or he just might push Yugi against the wall and teach the boy what the phrase 'make out' really meant.

Yugi paled slightly as he watched the confidence drain from Yami's expression. He ducked out of the way quickly to allow the other to reach the box. He waited until Yami had brought it down off the shelf, and he leaned in to place the softest of kisses on his cheek, dangerously close to the corner of his mouth. His lips quivered faintly as they made contact with Yami's skin; he wasn't at all used to this kind of thing, and he was more than a little nervous.

Just as he was lowering the box, the softest and possibly the most hesitant kiss was placed just at the corner of his mouth. He paused and then looked to Yugi. He gazed at the boy vaguely reminiscent of how a cat might observe a butterfly. "You're... " he paused, trying to come up with the right words, but ultimately he could not. "Perfect," he finished, feeling rather foolish for the first time in a long, long time.

Yugi really didn't know what to say, how to react to this. No one had ever said anything like that to him before... Not only that, but when Yami said it, Yugi actually _believed_ it. He'd never felt good enough for anyone before, but as he gazed into the other's wine-colored eyes, he truly felt... wonderful. "Yami," he breathed, sounding extremely vulnerable; he let down his defenses, trusting the other boy completely at that moment. He held the other's gaze, his eyes asking the questions his lips wouldn't form. _Is it okay if I fall in love with you?_

Yami's heart felt as if it were going to beat right out of his chest. Staring into Yugi's eyes was like looking into the future. For some odd reason, he got the feeling that with Yugi at his side, he could do or become anything. It was such a wonderful feeling, to be adored so unconditionally. He could tell Yugi wanted to say something, but was scared to. After a long moment, Yami smiled softly. "Why is it that I've only just started talking to you, yet I feel I've known you for years...?" He set the box down, not caring about the class or the time. "Tell me something about yourself."

The request caught Yugi completely off guard. "I.. um..." He blinked a few times, drawing a complete blank. "I, well, there... really isn't much to me, actually..." He shuffled his feet awkwardly.

Yami wanted to completely cuddle the boy. Oh yes, he was definitely going to have him. But that still left one thing Yami wanted to know. "What do you think love is or means, Yugi?" He knew the question was completely out of the blue, but he needed to know. He was sick and tired of meaningless relationships, that was why he hadn't been in one for so long.

Something in the boy's eyes seemed to change. For a moment, he looked infinitely wiser than his years. He stepped forward and embraced Yami, his arms locked tightly around him, his face turned into his neck. He stood there, silently, for what could have been anywhere from two minutes to two years. Finally, he murmured, "It's... when someone makes you feel so much stronger than you've ever felt before... Yet at the same time, you feel weaker, too..." He took in a breath, inhaling that wonderful scent that only Yami had. "I know that probably doesn't make any sense..."

"It makes perfect sense," Yami cut in. He smiled to himself and embraced the boy back, burying his face in his soft tri-colored hair. "Because I believe we need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet, what does any one life really mean? But in love, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things; all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed, because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed, because I will be your witness'." He pulled back so that their foreheads were touching. "I like you, Yugi, and I'm in grave danger of falling for you... But I'm not sure if you can handle all that I'll want from you."

Yugi could barely breathe. His heart was pounding like a drum. He would have given anything just to stand there and be held by Yami for hours, days, months, millennia. He tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, and managed to whisper, "Just try not to move too fast, and I'll try to give you everything you ask of me..." He was not fearless by any means, but he felt he could trust the other.

Yami nodded. "Alright then." He leaned back just enough to allow their eyes to meet. "I'm going to kiss you now," he said softly, his breath ghosting across the other's lips.

A small smile quirked Yugi's lips before his eyelids fluttered closed and he leaned in closer, feeling his chest tighten with anticipation. He'd only ever kissed one person before, and it had been brief and slightly awkward, so he really wasn't sure what to expect from Yami.

Yami leaned forward, his eyelids slowly falling shut as the space between their lips diminished. Soft, velvety skin brushed against Yugi briefly before pressing against him. Their mouths molded together, as if they were two perfect halves of a whole. One hand came to cup behind Yugi's neck, and the other moved to curl over the side of his face.

Yugi breathed a light sigh into Yami's mouth, feeling so completely at ease with him. Kissing him felt so... natural. He nuzzled into the hand on his cheek, bringing his own hands to Yami's chest to brace himself as they ventured deeper into each other's mouths.

Yami titled Yugi's head slightly to the side and gently moved away to slide the tip of his tongue over Yugi's bottom lip. Yugi's eagerness only seemed to make it better. He doubted the boy even realized how close they were getting.

Yugi felt like his entire body wanted to melt into Yami's. He captured the other's bottom lip in his mouth and sucked on it gently, his hands sliding up Yami's chest to rest on his shoulders.

The kid had talent. Yami chuckled and nipped Yugi back. He then pulled away and angled Yugi's head to the side so that he could trail kisses down his jaw, to his neck, where he feasted on the flesh at the juncture. When he pulled away there was a small but evident hickey. "There, now everyone will know you're mine."

As if on cue, the bell resounded throughout the school. Yami groaned, letting his hands slide away. It all seemed to be over too quickly. He shifted uncomfortably. Great, now he was going to have to go on what pretty much was a double date with a raging erection. He looked around, wondering where he had set his jacket.

Yugi jumped slightly at the sound of the bell. He noticed Yami had the same little "problem" that he did at the moment, and despite how awkward that was, it did make him feel good to know he had that kind of an effect on him. They waited around for a while until the stampedes had died down, at which point Yugi cleared his throat and said, "So, uh..."

"What is it little one?" Yami asked as he tied his jacket around his waist. There, that at least covered it slightly. Once the stampede had passed, they would go back to the classroom. Hopefully Ryou would still be waiting for them.

"Oh, n-nothing... Just that Mr. Pharaoh's.. probably going to wonder why we didn't come back..." Yugi reached for the door handle and opened it, only to find Ryou standing there carrying two extra bags.

"Having fun?" he asked, giving them that "I know what you were doing" smile. "Mr. Pharaoh said he didn't expect either of you to come back anytime soon, so I offered to bring your things along."

Yami was torn between embarrassment and annoyance. He grabbed his bag as he coughed to clear the awkwardness. "Ate- Mr. Pharaoh has always had a sixth sense about things like that. Shall we be on our way to the café?" More humorously he added, "I know I could use something cold right now..." He took out his phone to text Malik that they were on their way, not mentioning there would be one more in tow.

Yugi looked at him curiously in regard to the first part of that sentence, but decided not to say anything about it.

"You're sure it's alright for me to tag along?" Ryou asked, obviously implying something. Yugi stepped on his foot, but tried to act like it was an accident. Ryou, in turn, flicked him in the head and blew a raspberry.

Yami stared at the exchange of attacks with barely contained amusement. The group turned and began walking down a flight of stairs. "I'm completely sure. Besides, you're Yugi's closest friend, of course I want to get to know you better." Yami rounded the corner, froze and then frantically scrambled backward, pressing his back flush against the wall. "Of course _she'd_ be there," Yami said more to himself then the other two as he rolled his eyes.

Yugi stopped abruptly upon seeing Yami's actions. "Uh... Something wrong?" he asked meekly, actually rather worried to see Yami acting like this.

"Not really. Just that the most stalkerish girl in the existence of annoying fangirls is blocking the exit." Yami pointed, indicating around the corner.

Yugi cringed, not really knowing how to handle this situation. "Isn't there another door we could use?"

Yami nodded. "Follow me." They cautiously went around the stairs and then raced down the hall to the gym, where they exited through the locked doors used for deliveries of food and supplies for the school. Yami grinned as he jangled his keys. "Teachers' aid is sometimes the best job in the world."

"Especially when you get to make out in the storage room in the middle of class," Ryou snickered.

Yugi actually smirked, mischief dancing in his amethyst eyes. "You mad, bro?"

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

Memes. I reference them in EVERYTHING.

Also, don't forget to become one of my Twerps, by following **EeveeTofu** on Twitter. :3


	5. Chapter 5

La de da de da.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

Yami glared at his phone angrily as they safely made it past the school gate. "Why you no reply?" he whispered to the phone, though he meant Malik.

He looked over his shoulder as Yugi tugged on his sleeve; his unspoken question was obvious. "Don't worry little one. I'm paying for this meal so you two can order whatever you want." It seemed only fair. He could already see the situation playing out in his mind... Malik would come in, smile, see Ryou, and if he liked him, he would shamelessly drop humorous hits, which would either make Ryou uncomfortable or send him running for the hills. Or, Malik would talk one look at Ryou and decide he was not worth his time, and merely talk conversationally. Though considering Ryou was cute, young, had long hair, and had an accent... Malik would probably be all over him before their waters came.

The café was a quaint little place with a cozy atmosphere. Next to the counter, there was a display case of various pastries and baked goods, which Yugi and Ryou were immediately drawn to.

"Wow, look at all those muffins," Yugi murmured in awe. "I've never even seen some of these flavors before..."

"Yes, they do look quite delicious, but..." Ryou seemed a little disheartened, until he spotted a little sign next to a tray of apple spice muffins. "Oh, excellent! Some of these are vegan!"

"Hey, those pumpkin chocolate chip ones are, too - Wait, they have chocolate, doesn't that have milk in it?"

"They probably use semi-sweet chocolate chips; those actually are vegan."

"Huh. Didn't know that..."

Yami looked around as he tried to see if Malik was even in the café, when from behind him two hands clamped around his eyes, startling him.

"Got cha'!" came a teasing voice. Yami pushed the hands aside and turned around. He blinked as his eyes traveled down Malik's body. The boy had changed clothes in the few hours since they had seen him last. The man now wore a light purple tank top (which of course showed off half his flat stomach) black jeans, and a belt with a Triforce buckle. Malik laughed, turning away from Yami to grin down at Yugi. His cool indigo eyes immediately spotted the hickey on the boy's neck. "Well I see _someone_ had a nice day at school."

Yugi had almost forgotten that was there. He blushed quickly, pulling the collar of his jacket up to hide his neck, and turned back to the muffins, which Ryou seemed to be very interested in. However, upon further inspection, Yugi discovered that his best friend was secretly using the glass' reflective properties to check Malik out. Yugi lifted one eyebrow slightly. "I take it you like what you see in there," he said with a grin, knowing Ryou would pick up on his double meaning.

Ryou, through the glass, glared at Yugi.

"Oh, who's your friend?" Malik asked. He could not really see Ryou's face because the man was facing away from him. Actually, from the back, if it hadn't been for the male uniform, Malik probably would have assumed their companion to be a girl.

"Ryou Bakura," Yugi introduced him, turning him around to face the darker teen. "Also known as the prima donna of Domino High-"

"Oh, shut it," Ryou muttered, jabbing him in the ribs. "Just because I'm a great actor doesn't mean I'm a diva."

"Feather boa," Yugi countered smugly.

Ryou glared, a light embarrassed flush coloring his face. "Don't bring that up."

It was like watching a lion pounce on a gazelle. Yami watched as Malik, taking advantage of Ryou's conversation with Yugi, leaned in and trapped the white haired boy against the sweets counter. "Ryou, huh? Cute name." He blew a lock of his sandy blond hair out of his face, his indigo eyes locked onto Ryou. "I'm Malik." He gestured with his head toward Yami. "I'm Yami's roommate, and I'm one hundred percent available."

"Really?" Ryou said coolly, meeting the other's eyes with an unfaltering gaze. "Single, with a body like that? I'm not sure I believe you." He was testing Malik, having a little fun with him. Yugi watched with interest, knowing that Ryou liked to pull out his various "personalities" to play around with people.

"There may be more then enough here for multiple people, but tend to like focusing all my attentions on just one person. Unless, of course, the person I'm with is boring." Malik raised a challenging brow.

A small smirk curled Ryou's lips, and he placed a finger on Malik's chest and traced a straight line down to his abdomen, holding his gaze the entire time. "Well, I can't promise anything," he said flirtatiously, slithering out from between him and the sweets counter.

Malik practically shivered. When he finally gathered his senses and turned around, his eyes sparkled like gemstones. He then proceeded to follow Ryou around as if he were in heat.

Yami rolled his eyes and turned to Yugi, "I hope you don't mind that I'm a little more reserved then that..."

"Do I look like I mind?" Yugi said quietly, scooting a little closer to Yami as he watched Malik practically drool over Ryou.

Yami causally put his arm around Yugi's waist, his hand venturing just a bit too far past his waistline. "Shall we get a table?" he asked. Ryou turned and nodded, whereas Malik didn't even seem to take notice. "He's about as subtle as a nuclear explosion," Yami said, rolling his eyes.

Yugi happily cozied up to Yami as they slid into a booth seat. Ryou sat across from them, with Malik not far behind.

"I think I can handle him," Ryou said confidently. "I think I could deal with anyone at this point, after having to put up with Damian for the entire spring musical last year..."

"Oh my god, Damian," Yugi groaned, facepalming at the memory.

"Ugh... There were so many times during rehearsal that I wanted to rip his legs off for real during the one scene with the flying monkeys..."

Yugi laughed. "Yeah, but I don't think the script calls for the Tin Man dismembering the Scarecrow, like, ever."

"Oh, but if it had, I would have thoroughly enjoyed it."

"I gather this Damian was a little too... adamant?" Yami asked conversationally. He absently grabbed the small brochure on the end of the table that listed all the drinks, and made sure to angle it so Yugi could read it as well.

"Yeah, he really WAS a diva. I think he was just mad 'cause Ryou got the part that HE wanted, though..."

"Yugi." Ryou extended his hand across the table to the other.

"... What?"

"Bathroom buddies."

Yugi snorted. "Geez, you are such a girl sometimes," he said, taking the other's hand and going with him.

"Hey, it's not MY fault there weren't enough girls who tried out for Steel Magnolias..."

Both men watched as the two departed, and when they were gone Yami turned to Malik. "Could you _please_ stop undressing the kid with your eyes?" he hissed.

"Undressing?" Malik gave a brief laugh. "Oh, please. I'm already done and looking for where I threw my briefs." He grinned at Yami's expressionless reaction.

As soon as the bathroom door shut behind them, Ryou's demeanor changed completely to one of immense anxiety. "Oh my god, this is too much," he breathed, clutching his chest.

"... Wait. WHAT is?" Yugi was well aware that Ryou's 'true self' was shy and hesitant, and that he often masked it through very good acting, but he was genuinely confused right now.

"Him!" Ryou pointed a thumb towards the door. "No one's ever acted like that to me; what do I do?"

"Shh." Yugi pulled him close in a comforting embrace. "Don't stress over it, okay? You're doing fine. Just give him a bit, I'm sure he'll cool down."

"But... What if I'm not good enough for him?"

"Oh my god Ryou." Yugi pulled back and frowned at him. "You are plenty good enough for whoever the hell you want."

Ryou leaned his forehead against Yugi's and took a few breaths, forcing himself to calm down. "Thanks," he murmured finally, placing a quick kiss on Yugi's cheek. "I needed that."

"Anytime." Yugi smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

IT'S JUST A CINEMATIC. KEEP SPRINTING.


	6. Chapter 6

**WARNING: this chapter contains copious amounts of ponies**

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

"He is soooo my type," Malik purred. "I just love accents. And he's British, which means he won't have a problem with me preferring tea to coffee."

"He's also very shy, so do try not to give him the impression that you're some kind of domineering jerk."

"I never give that impression." Malik pouted, then glanced toward the bathroom. "You do realize they're talking about us in there right now?"

"We could go in and surprise them. After all, we are no strangers to the boys restroom." Yami joked.

Malik shook his head. "Let them be." He then looked up at the ceiling with a cat-like grin.

"_Now_ what are you thinking?"

"Yami... have you ever just looked at a guy and thought 'screw it'."

"Oh would you stop."

"Like you're so innocent. Marking the poor kid as you did. It's a wonder he's not calling you a vampire."

"If I'm a vampire, then you're a horny dog," Yami said with a raised brow. Even on a double date, their hobby of BS continued.

Just about that time was when Yugi and Ryou returned. Malik grinned. "Woof!"

Out of pure reflex, Ryou let out a very convincing meow, which sent Yugi into a fit of giggles.

"You are so random!" the boy chortled, plopping down into the seat beside Yami. Ryou simply meowed indignantly at him, taking his seat next to Malik. Another meow, which had come from none of the four boys, made them all jump slightly. A girl about their age, possibly older, stood at the table with a big grin. Her curly magenta hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her aqua eyes seemed to dance with laughter. She wore an apron, with a name tag that had, in lieu of a name, three balloons drawn on it.

"Hi!" she said cheerfully. "I'm Meena! Sorry it took me so long, I was in the kitchen trying to keep the fudge from exploding." She seemed completely unfazed by this, as her happy smile never faltered. "What can I get for you guys?" She whipped out a notepad and a pen with a springy, feathery thing attached to the end.

"I'll have the deluxe hot chocolate, and... the apple danish looks good," Yami answered.

"Oh, and it is," Meena bounced enthusiastically.

"I'll have a scone and some of the english breakfast tea," Malik answered next.

"I would like an apple spice muffin, and a cup of green tea," Ryou ordered, with all of his polite Britishness.

"Uh.. I think I'll go with a blueberry bubble tea, and a chocolate chip pumpkin muffin." Yugi felt a little awkward ordering last, for whatever reason.

"Okie-dokie lokie!" Meena bounced a little as she finished scribbling the order on her notepad. "I'll be back in a jiffy!" And with that, she flashed them a big smile and practically skipped back behind the counter.

"So, tell me." Malik turned to Ryou. "How does the British rose like Japan so far? Though I assume since you speak Japanese fluently, you've been here a while."

"Actually, I only just moved here less than two years ago," Ryou said, leaning back against the squashy booth seat. "But my father taught me Japanese starting when I was still very young, so it was actually pretty easy to make the transition, in terms of the language..."

"Really..." Malik flashed him a Cheshire grin.

"Malik goes to Checkers High," Yami cut in, hoping to change the conversation so something Malik would be less inclined to tern into a sexual innuendo.

"Fraternizing with the enemy, I see," Ryou smirked, sparing a glance at the door as it opened and admitted an athletic-looking girl with platinum blonde, almost white hair, wearing a sports tank and baggy shorts that fell to her knees. She stomped in confidently like she owned the place, frowning at the empty counter. She had wing tattoos on her exposed shoulderblades, and a section of her hair was dyed with rainbow stripes. After a few moments of glaring at the obvious lack of employees, she hopped up and sat on the counter, and yelled back toward the kitchen, "Don't make me bust out my 'extreme café parkour' moves!"

From behind the counter, toward the kitchen, came a loud female cry. "Hold your horses, sugar cube!"

"Dashie!" From out of the kitchen, the magenta haired girl leapt over the counter and tackled the rainbow haired girl, a huge smile plastered on her face.

The two girls crashed to the floor, whereupon the tomboyish one finally noticed the four boys at a table. "... Since when do you get customers at this time of day?"

Meena laughed. "Can't you tell they're from the high school just down the street silly?"

While everyone was distracted by watching the girls, Yami took this opportunity to slip his hand under the table and rub Yugi's thigh. Yugi, completely distracted by the hand suddenly very close to his nethers, sucked in a nearly silent gasp, shuddering slightly. The hand quickly went from massaging Yugi's thigh to trailing up to cup his groin. All the while, Yami watched the girls with a pleasant smile.

Ryou could easily interpret the reason for Yugi's slightly glazed-over expression and rapidly deepening blush. He nudged Yami's leg with his foot, leaned across the table, and murmured, just loud enough for only him to hear, "I wouldn't do that in public... He has a habit of making rather incriminating sounds..."

Yami raised a brow and then leaned in himself so that he and Ryou could whisper even softer, "And how would you know that?" His finger tips trailed up the seam.

"We have a certain... history." Ryou smiled softly. "Don't worry, he's all yours; I just wanted to make sure you read the instruction manual before you play with your new toy."

Yugi bit down on his lip, emitting a very soft groan. He slid his hand up Yami's back and grasped at his shirt.

"Food's ready!" Meena cheered as she randomly appeared out of the flower box that was behind the table. She placed the food down in front of them, unfortunately in the wrong order.

Yami's gaze turned mysterious but he let go of Yugi. Damn it... At this rate he was probably going to have to drag Yugi to his apartment before they had some time alone.

At that moment the door jingled. Malik turned and his mouth nearly dropped open. Who should show up but Mr. Pharaoh. At his side was a young women with long purple hair with pink highlights, dressed in a mauve-colored sweater vest.

Malik turned and snickered to his friend. "Hey Yami, looks like you've got some competition." Yami looked up to see the purple haired women.

Shivers still lingered in Yugi's body from Yami's intimate touch, and only got worse when Mr. Pharaoh entered. However, something about Malik's words piqued his curiosity. "Wait, what? Competition?" He raised an eyebrow.

Yami glared at Malik. "Ignore him." He turned to Yugi. "I'm just Mr. Pharaoh's favorite student, is all," he grinned. He glanced down at Yugi's trousers. "Need any help?" he muttered, his eyes flashing.

Yugi shifted slightly under the table, adjusting himself so his 'problem' wasn't as noticeable. "Maybe later," he said to Yami in a low purr, lust flickering in his amethyst eyes. Yami's libido went into overdrive. He grabbed his apple danish away from Malik and quickly, but not extremely tastefully, began eating.

"Man, you guys are really busy today," the tomboyish Ardee grinned, sitting on the counter again. "What, did you throw a party and forget to tell me about it?"

"Why would we ever-" the sentence ended on an explosion of a gasp. "Twila and Atem!" Meena cried cheerfully, racing toward the two of them.

"What in the hay?" came a distinctly country accent as a long blonde haired girl exited the kitchen, wearing a white apron over a checkered blouse and frayed blue jean shorts that barely covered her knees. The brown cowboy boots she wore had fringe on the sides.

"And there goes the welcome wagon," Ardee chuckled as Meena glomped both of them. "S'up, AJ?" She grinned and flashed a peace sign at the girl who had just come from the kitchen.

AJ rolled her eyes. "Besides you coming into my café and hollerin' loud enough to wake all of Houston? Not much."

"By the way, there's some weird noises coming from the dumpster out back. Rustling and squeaking and stuff."

"And what'n tarnation were you doin' rummagin' through my garbage?"

"I wasn't rummaging! Geez! I was running!"

"THERE'S ZOMBIES IN THE TRASH!" Meena shrieked, hiding behind the cash register.

Ardee sighed, rolling her eyes. "There's no such thing as zombies."

"You don't know that!"

"Meena," Twila interjected, "there's no way a decomposing body would be able to gain sentience and take up residence in AJ's dumpster. It's just plain impossible."

"Oh, okay." Meena seemed to calm down at this. However, nary a moment later, she was cowering behind the register again. "What if it's vampires?"

"Vampires would be another complete impossibility," Atem answered. Since he'd moved to Tokyo, he had found this little café and often used it as a retreat after work. The young girls that worked here, which were his acquaintance Twila's best friends, were often very amusing and laid-back, which allowed him to relax. That was, of course, when he didn't have... _other _means of relaxation.

Meena blinked. "... Kishins?"

"Sugarcube, you've been watchin' way too much anime."

Yami reached for his hot chocolate, but accidentally spilled Ryou's green tea. The cup tipped over and spilled on the table, the hot contents dripping over the side and unfortunately right onto his pant leg. Yami jumped to his feet, cringing.

Yugi was startled by this sudden string of events, and just kind of sat there looking dumb as he tried to get his brain to work.

Yami felt completely humiliated. A dark red blush colored his cheeks. "I... I'm so sorry Ryou."

"It's fine, really," Ryou assured him. "As long as you aren't hurt..."

Yami then tried to excuse himself with as much grace as he could. "I'll be... right back." he began to walk away.

"Wait up!" called Malik, "I'll join you."

Yami leaned his head against the mirror as Malik entered.

"You are a complete spaz. I've never seen you like this before."

Yami glanced his way. "I wish I could say the same," he sighed. "God, I am _so_ horny right now," he muttered huskily.

Malik grinned. "I knew he was your type."

"My type? He's like a fucking sugar rush."

Malik laughed and opened his mouth to say something when he heard a strange noise; a rustling or whining coming from just outside the door. "Do you hear that?"

Yami blinked and went completely still as he listened. "Yeah. I do." Completely forgetting his problem, he followed his friend out of the bathroom and toward the sound.

"Oh, consarn it," the girl called AJ sighed, bringing a few rags over to the table. "I really ought'er get some different cups, these fall over way too easy..." She quickly mopped up the spilled tea on the table and seat, and turned to Ryou. "I'll go get you another cup o' tea, sugarcube."

"Oh, that's really not necessary," Ryou said politely.

"Nonsense. Y'ordered a cup o' tea, an' I reckon it's only fair you get to drink it, too." AJ smiled genially and took the mug with her. "I'll be right back."

Ryou couldn't help but smile. This café seemed like a really nice place, even with the slightly eccentric employees and their friends. He took a bite of his apple spice muffin, and his eyes widened for a moment. "This is delicious," he said in awe after swallowing his mouthful.

"I know, right?" Meena exclaimed with a wide grin. "AJ's such a great baker! I'm trying to learn from her so I can be as good as she is someday!"

"And how's that going for you, Meena?" Ardee asked with a smirk.

"Great!" The pink-haired girl bounced happily. "The brownies I made today weren't hard as bricks!"

Ardee's magenta eyes sparkled. "You made brownies? I want one!"

"Okie-dokie lokie!" Meena skipped back into the kitchen, nearly running into AJ, who had a mug in her hand.

"Whoa nelly! Calm down, Meena. Where's she goin', anyway?"

"Gettin' me a brownie," Ardee said smugly, wiggling her butt a little on the counter.

AJ bit her lips to keep from laughing. "I see," she said, barely holding in giggles. She brought the gently steaming mug to the table and set it before Ryou. "Anything I can get'cha for that? Milk? Sugar? Honey?"

"No, thank you." Ryou took a sip. "Did I hear correctly that you baked these?" he asked, indicating the half-eaten apple spice muffin (Yugi had taken a bite of it as well).

"Sure did!" AJ said proudly. "Them apple spice muffins are a recipe I learned from my dear ol' Granny Smith back home. And my aunt Betty taught me how to make them pumpkin ones with the chocolate chips."

"They're fantastic," Yugi said after taking a bite of his pumpkin muffin.

AJ beamed. "All the treats I make here are recipes passed down through the family, made exactly the same way they been made for years 'n years. I always call home an' tell 'em when folks like 'em. It's like havin' the whole family here with me in this here tiny little café."

"Brownie for Ardee!~" Meena burst through the swinging doors to the kitchen, carrying a plate with a generously-sized brownie.

"That one's on the house," AJ said with a grin, though she looked vaguely mischievous.

"Sweet! Free food!" Ardee took the plate and picked up the confection with her fingers, and brought it to her mouth to take a bite. However, her teeth didn't pierce it. "What the hell?" She glared at Meena, who was overcome with a fit of giggles. "I thought you said they weren't rock-hard!"

"They're not!" Meena snorted amidst her giggling. "They're still hard, but not ROCK hard! That's an improvement!"

"And that's why it's on the house," AJ snickered.

"Just out of curiosity," Ryou interjected, "What else on the menu would you recommend trying?"

"If it's your first time here you have to try the apple pie," Atem answered as he approached them. "Good evening boy. I see you have sleuthed out my retreat."

"Do you know these-" the girl with purple hair began to say before she recognized the two boys. "Oh! It's Mr. Bakura and Mr. Mouto. How are you boys doing?"

Adree walked up beside them. "You know these boys Twila?"

"Of course I do. They go to the school I work for. Though I hardly ever seen them unless it is to get textbooks."

"Oh yes, I remember you now." Ryou laughed. "You're the librarian."

Meanwhile, on their hands and knees looking under a dumpster, Yami and Malik had found two rather small malnourished looking kittens. The were at the moment refusing to come out of the shadows, mewing pathetically in fright.

A slight, shy-looking girl with pinkish strawberry-blonde hair stepped into the café. "Oh," she said quietly, more to herself than anyone else. "Kind of busy in here today, isn't it?"

Finally, after much coaxing, Malik and Yami managed to wrangle the little kittens out from under the dumpster before taking them inside. Flora noticed them first as they walked in, rushing over to them the moment she saw the squealing kittens. "Oh my goodness, the poor dears are barely a month old."

Flora took the tiny creatures from the boys, holding one in each hand as they were so small, and held them to her bosom, cradling them in a very motherly manner. "Shhh," she murmured to them, stroking them comfortingly. "It's okay, babies. Don't cry." Strangely enough, they seemed to respond to her, and their little piteous mews nearly stopped.

"Should I go an' get some milk or somethin'?"

"No!" Flora startled herself with the force of her voice. "I-I mean... Cats are often lactose intolerant... Cow's milk isn't the best idea for these little guys." She thought for a moment before handing the kittens back to Yami and Malik. "I have an idea," she said, her voice confident but still her usual soft tone. "Make sure you keep them warm. I'll be back soon." She hurried out the door without another word.

"... What'n tarnation was that all about?"

"She's an intern at the animal clinic down the street, remember?" Meena poked AJ in the arm. "She probably went to go get some super-duper kitten chow or something!"

"Oh my... where did you find them?" Ryou asked.

"Remember how..." Malik paused in thought before just pointing to the rainbow haired girl, "she said earlier that there was something by the dumpster. Well while Yami and I were trying to figure out what to do with his pants we heard noises."

"Did you see a mother cat around them?" asked Twila. Yami shook his head. "Oh dear, perhaps they were abandoned. Or their mother died." She turned and looked at Atem. This caused Yami to glare at his teacher.

"Um, should we not all introduce ourselves?" Atem tried to alleviate the situation a tad.

"Everyone already knows meee!" Meena chimed in as she jumped up and down.

Ardee scoffed. "I'm sure they've all heard of me already." She was met with blank stares. "... What, you haven't? Well. I'm ONLY the coolest free-runner in all of Japan. AND the US and its minor territories. They call me Dash," she said smugly, sitting a little straighter. "_Rainbow_ Dash." She flicked the dyed portion of her hair, as if for emphasis.

"Simmer down, sally." AJ thumped her on the back. "Not all folks keep up with sports, you know."

Yugi was currently fascinated by the small orange tabby clinging to Yami's chest.

Yami noticed Yugi's staring and turned toward him, plucking the kitten from his shoulder. "Do you like him?"

"I... have a weakness for small fluffy things," Yugi said sheepishly.

The door opened and Flora returned with a large canvas bag, looking very relieved. "I'm glad Leigh hadn't left yet... She gave me all these extra supplies." She placed the bag on a chair and turned to the kitten-holders. "Um... I can take them with me, or you guys can take care of them, if you're up for all the work..."

Considering Yugi's affinity for the kitten, under no circumstances was Yami going to give it up. "I'll keep him and look after him. Besides," he smiled as the swatted at the collar of his uniform, "he seems to like me."

Malik held up the kitten in his hands and shrugged. "Well, it seems mean to separate siblings, so I'll keep this one too. Besides when we're at school it would be good for them to have a playmate."

Flora smiled. "In that case, please take this bag. It has some supplies and a little booklet about caring for motherless kittens, plus the clinic's number is on there if you have any questions. Just ask for Leigh, or me, Flora. Ohmygoodness!" She squeaked and jumped as something in her pocket made a chirping sound. "Oh... My phone... I really must be going now... There's a wonderful nature documentary on in half an hour, and Angel and I were going to watch it... He does love nature documentaries."

"Yeah." Ardee rolled her eyes. "Your rabbit likes nature shows. Sounds legit."

Finding that the girls were just becoming a little too much for him, and that Mr. Pharaoh's presence was now seriously annoying him, Yami turned to his gang and said, "It's getting late. We've been here more then an hour. Would both of you like to help us get our new pets acclimated to our apartment?"

"Sure!" Yugi said brightly, rather excited that he'd get to see Yami's apartment. Ryou nodded his agreement.

After paying for the meal and departing, the teens walked rather briskly toward Yami and Malik's shared apartment. "I think you'll like the place. It's in a nice neighborhood, it's not run down or anything."

"Though I am afraid we don't have much food." Yami added. "Later on tonight we should probably go get some groceries."

Malik winked at Ryou. "Hope you don't mind."

"Oh, I can tell you're hungry for more than just food," Ryou muttered slyly.

**- x - x - x - x - x -**

That's all we have for now. (Well, okay, no, there were a few more exchanges, but this was a good stopping point.) As soon as Pixie comes back, there shall be more!

p.s. In case you're all derped and can't figure it out, AJ is Applejack, Meena is Pinkie Pie, Twila is Twilight Sparkle, Ardee is Rainbow Dash, and Flora is Fluttershy. We haven't had occasion to introduce Rarity yet, but when we do, she will appear in the form of a gifted young fashion designer by the name of Reverie. Mai will most likely be involved in this scene, as well as everyone's favorite pony DJ.

I HAVE RAMBLED ENOUGH NOW


End file.
